The Talk
by Mislav
Summary: Set during episode "Mr Monk Goes to a Rock Concert". Natalie talks with Kendra.


**A/N: I don't owe any of the Monk characters and I am not making any money from writing this.**

**Please forgive any minor spelling or grammar mistakes, English is not my native language.**

**This story occurs during eight episode of season five of Monk, "Mr Monk Goes to a Rock Concert". Rated T just in case, for occasionall sad content.**

**This IS NOT a fem slash story. Also, this is only a one shot, there won't be chapter two. However, I may write a side story or two. We'll see.**

Kendra was standing behind the stage, alone, looking at the ground.

There was nobody else around-at least not there, on that location-but she could clearly hear the noise, loud music playing, people talking, screaming, laughing... How can they laugh, listen to music, act like nothing happened when man is dead? Sure, not everyone knew him but still! Was... was she the only one who truly cared for him? He has a daughter, but she is so young, maybe too young to understand... and his ex-wife... she feels sick only while thinking about her.

It wasn't too loud from her standing point, bit it was loud enough for her not being able to concentrate, to think straight. But maybe it's better that way.

_That's life, I guess_, she thought. _At the time I want to be alone, I end up at the most loud and crowded place possible. And I can't leave because..._

"Hey..."

She heard woman's voice behind herself. It was different than other voices: it was clearer, closer to her, and surprisingly nice and polite. So she turned around.

She saw Natalie, that blonde woman who was that detective's assistant.

"I was looking for you", Natalie said, trying to form a small smile. "Got kinda worried."

"Well... now you know where you can found me."

"Would you like to walk back with me? Toward a port-a-potty? My boss and his two friends from a police are searching the place, they may found something."

"I... I will... I just... need to be alone right now, OK?"

Natalie didn't know how or why-was it because she is a mother, her working for person as complicated as Adrian Monk, because she lived through personal tragedy herself or all the above-but she had a gift, or instict, something like that, and she was able to recognize, right away, when somebody is sad, scared, or simply needs comforting or advice. And she always felt the urge-maybe even an obligation-to comfort that person.

Gift, and a curse, like her boss would say.

She walked few steps closer to Kendra. She was still looking down at the ground, but there was no chance that she didn't notice her. However, she did nothing.

"Are you OK?", Natalie asked her, only to mentally face-palm herself second afterward. What a stupid question, she thought.

Kendra, however, didn't seem to be offended or bothered by that question.

"You know", she started. "When I said that I was more than Stork's friend..." She stopped talking and looked down at the ground again. "I... I don't want to bother you with my problems. You and your boss are already helping me so muchonx by investigating..."

Natalie gently put her hand on Kendra's right shoulder.

"It's OK, really", she said, in convincing, compassionate tone.

Kendra finally raised her head and looked Natalie in the eyes.

"Did you ever... did you ever loose someone... someone you..."

"My husband died", Natalie said.

"I... I'm sorry", Kendra said, compassionatelly, looking down at the ground again.

Natalie nodded her head.

"It's been... almost a decade by now", she explained. "He was a pilot, accident happened... in a war zone... and so..."

Kendra raised her head, looking Natalie in the eyes again.

"Does... does it ever... gets better?", she asked. "Does it even... get to a point... where it doesn't hurt so much?"

Natalie took a deep breath, trying to think of an answer.

"At first, there is a shock. Denial. In the same time, there is denial, hope and, deep inside, knowledge that is nothing more than... what it is-hope, denial, but nothing more than that. It lasts too long. Maybe that's the worst part. Then you realize that all that is real. It's... indescribable feeling. Then comes the anger. You are angry on... anybody who had or could have anything to do with his death. Even on God. You start thinking is there one. Then there is pure... desperation. You think you can't live any longer without him. But then, you need to do something-eat, drink, comfort someone close to you who also have problems-and you realize that you can live without him. But that doesn't change the fact... that your life will never be the same." She swallowed hard before continuing. "So, no, it always hurts. Only you learn to... deal with it better as the time goes by."

Kendra nodded her head, biting her lower lip while thinking what to say and is she supposed to say anything at all. A single tear rolled down her face.

"I... I understand", she finally said. "Thank you."

"You're welcome", Natalie smiled. "Now let's look up for Mr. Monk and Stottlemeyer, shall we? Maybe they found out something that can help us clear this case."

"Sure", Kendra agreed. "I hope they did."


End file.
